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The electronic system has been in place in a couple of medical centers and they will all eventually switch to the system. They are switching to this system as we speak here in Long Beach. It is suppose to cut down on the wait time or eliminate completely. All you do is drop off your form and the funds get deposited in your account. I don't know what they are going to with the Vets that don't have accounts. I will ask tomorrow and let you all know.

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On the form they are using here in Long Beach there is the ability to request a check which they will mail out to you. Since they have switched over to the new system there isn't a line any longer. I don't know how the system is working at the other medical centers but I would assume that they will eventually all convert to this system.

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We are going to the Mpls VA med April for evaluation.
When I talked to the social worker/coordinator there last time she said we need to check in at the travel office before we leave for home.
I'm not sure what to expect, but with price of gas and the mileage the van gets it sure would be great to get.

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I knew that there was a debit card system set up for some time for vets who do not have bank accounts. This is all I've been able to find out about it.

VA Urges Veterans to Sign Up for Direct Deposits - Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
VA will stop issuing paper checks People who do not have electronic payments for their federal benefits by that time will receive their funds via a pre-paid debitcard Called the Direct Express card, it is issued by Comerica Bank as the financial
www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2023
"Veterans who do not have an electronic deposit account for their benefits can get a pre-paid debit card called the Direct Express card. It is issued by Comerica Bank..."

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We are going to the Mpls VA med April for evaluation.
When I talked to the social worker/coordinator there last time she said we need to check in at the travel office before we leave for home.
I'm not sure what to expect, but with price of gas and the mileage the van gets it sure would be great to get.

You will get round trip travel pay if eligible, I think it's around 42 cents a mile. Cash will be given at MPLS VA up until May 1st 2012.

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Yes I received this letter as well. The letter states that reimbursement will be 10-15 business days after the appointment. I am a broke vet going through ptsd work. My VA days consist of driving over four hours round trip. I have never minded this as the Madison,WI VA is top tier in my opinion. I only have 60% so every month after expenses I am broke, but I dont mind bunkering in at those times. When I have an appointment in those times it is easy to borrow money to get there, fill up and repay when I return, But 10-15 days later does not help me. The VA expresses their concern about no shows, this is only going to help them increase. I expressed my concern at my last appointment and found that staff and veterans agree that this is not good, they informed me there was nothing that could be done other than contacting congress, so I started that yesterday. Travel pay ensures that I can make my appointments and without it Im not quite sure. Also on days that I may only have a primary care appointment they will only pay a value of distance to the closest VA which is in a different system. This was fine as it was, the government wants to cut costs, I understand that, but there are many larger wastes out there to be addressed. If they want to cut costs, they should do away with the medical facilities that are not veteran specific and give us a VA insurance card to go to any hospital...

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Yes I received this letter as well. The letter states that reimbursement will be 10-15 business days after the appointment. I am a broke vet going through ptsd work. My VA days consist of driving over four hours round trip. I have never minded this as the Madison,WI VA is top tier in my opinion. I only have 60% so every month after expenses I am broke, but I dont mind bunkering in at those times. When I have an appointment in those times it is easy to borrow money to get there, fill up and repay when I return, But 10-15 days later does not help me. The VA expresses their concern about no shows, this is only going to help them increase. I expressed my concern at my last appointment and found that staff and veterans agree that this is not good, they informed me there was nothing that could be done other than contacting congress, so I started that yesterday. Travel pay ensures that I can make my appointments and without it Im not quite sure. Also on days that I may only have a primary care appointment they will only pay a value of distance to the closest VA which is in a different system. This was fine as it was, the government wants to cut costs, I understand that, but there are many larger wastes out there to be addressed. If they want to cut costs, they should do away with the medical facilities that are not veteran specific and give us a VA insurance card to go to any hospital...

The long wait to get travel reimbursement has hurt me
also. I have to drive 4 hours round trip and because of my disability, seizures, I'm not able to work much. I understand that it cuts down on lines and paperwork, but it sure would be great if they could expedite the time it takes for the direct deposit to go through

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The VA I go to switched to direct deposit for travel last Oct. They said the reason they switched was to save time, however, they didn't say who's time. Yesterday I inquired about how long it would be before I'd see the deposit, the reply was 4 weeks. I didn't mind waiting 10-20 min. before the switch was made and that was cash in hand but a month,,,crazy!!! Anybody else having to wait that long?